FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[bulk19]

Will UW-Stout be the Warhawk's toughest and only test for the regular season?

Whoa!  I'm a UWEC fan.  Games are fun to go to, attendance is great, their band is FANTASTIC. Next week is EC family week and I am sure the place will be packed, unless the weather is atrocious.
I can tell you that the Blugolds do not want to take the week against UWW off.   And they would have loved to played UWW pre-season also.  UWW is the team to beat and everyone wants a shot at them.  Whining???  No way!!
Is it disappointing to be in a conf with the perennial top team?  Maybe.  It does make it harder to get to the playoffs.  But if you don't want to compete...get off the field.  These players (and I am sure I speak for other teams also) are ready to go.  Sooner or later, someone's going to knock off WW, and every team wants to be the one.
And no team is dumb enough to look beyond any game in WIAC.  Any given Saturday.....
And I don't know where the other EC fans are.  Seems there was one posting...should be more....

After the Blu Gold's played North Central College in Naperville, the CCIW board was lit up with much deserved praise of the visiting UW-EC band.  Not only their musical talent but their level of enthusiasm, sportsmanship, (applauding NCC band,) and even staying around to play after game.  Sounded like they ARE fantastic and it was greatly appreciated by many in the NCC crowd.  Very well done!  

Thanks for the kind words about the Blugolds marching band; it has become, without a doubt, one of the premiere D3 bands in the country, if not the...

The CCIW fans rightfully suggested that a school with an enrollment of 10,000 (whatever it is at UWEC) should have a big band, but that hasn't always been the case. The band was 60 members in 2000; it has now, however, quadrupled to 270 or so, which is the largest in D3, and as large as many D1 schools (and would be the fifth largest in the Big Ten, according to the band director, Randal Dickerson, who has been leading them during this time...)

So what does all this have to do with football? Well, the band members work just as hard as the athletes (stat of the day = 70 percent of the UWEC menbers are NOT music majors, which means they are doing it because they love it), and when you get something as special as what has happened in EC over the last 10 years, if you are a true fan of D3 sports, you realize they make a tremendous contribution to what we all enjoy about game day.

[retagent]

Thanks for the invite, and the reminder . I'll be arriving close to kickoff, so I doubt I can make it. I'm humbled by your acceptance of me. I wouldn't be a grump, and since it looks like my Johnnies are out of the picture, I might even root for the purple haze.

[Devil Badger Gopher]

After the first half, I am kinda upset Stout is not at least tied with UWW, but what can you do.  They are within striking distance and are keeping UWW guessing.  Sounds like a great game that few expected.

[Beyond Prime]

A fiend asked me earlier in the season if it was a good thing that O'Grady announced his retirement at the beginning of the season, or wait until the end. My response was the announcement could have one of two effects. Motivate the team, such we are seeing right now with Michigan State, or deflate the team. After today's loss to La Crosse, it looks like it is the later.

RF didn't lose that much talent and actually should have gained ground this year because they played very young last year. Yet, if you see them in the game, it is in the first half. The second half has been usually down hill. So it looks like the team is already starting to hang up their cleats and waiting to see what will happen for next season.

What does everyone else think?

[BoBo]

After the first half, I am kinda upset Stout is not at least tied with UWW, but what can you do.  They are within striking distance and are keeping UWW guessing.  Sounds like a great game that few expected.

They did a real fine job controlling the ball - seemed like their game plan was to make it a game with few possessions and it was working...

...but things changed in the 2nd half.

[BoBo]

Hawks 255 yards rushing/6.1 avg
Hawks 213 yards passing

Stout 177 yards passing
Stout   61 yards rushing/2.3 avg

Coppage 163 rushing/8.1 avg., 2 TD and as LL said on the post game interview, he wasn't going to play - but with Booker going down with an arm or shoulder injury, he came in, looked a bit uncomfortable due to the leg injury, but shredded the Stout D in the second half.

Big crowd 12,189 or something like that.

Blanchard continues to be very accurate and the receivers were open all day long, especially on routes near the side lines - and Novak getting more involved over the middle. Blanchard was something like 22-30 with all the passing yards, 154 efficiency rating. I don't believe he was sacked or lost yards and exhibits great athletic moves to escape the rush and make a positive gain.

Stout converted far to many 3rd and longs - 9-15 overall. But the hawks did better, converting 10-14.

Hawk D - 3 sacks; 4 tackles for loss. Lou Minnett was a force coming off the end in the second half. The close-up on the one sack was a thing of beauty (if you like defense); he rattled Carey's helmet, nearly knocking it off with Carey's head in it. Great game for the freshman.

Stout's only TD scored on a Carey fumbled snap - recovered by the tackle in the end zone - kind of reminiscent of the Stagg Bowl.
They also missed a FG, clanked it off the upright. A made one there could have have change the complexion of the game at that time & who knows what might have happen after.

Hawk kicking game was the best overall all season. They did miss an XP, but resulted from a bad snap, IMO, not the kicker miss-hitting the ball. And Kindler made a FG. Hopefully got him out of the rut he was it. Rosholt was outstanding punting this week after an off week last week. 50.5 yard average, 2 downed inside the 2 yard line.

No turnover game on both sides. For such a hard hitting and physical game, that's pretty amazing. Watching on tv, I agree with BDB's comment the other day, it was a good D3 football game. But, you have to admit, too, the Hawks are a pretty good football team. I haven't seen the story of the EC/Platteville game yet. But with the Pioneers winning big on the scoreboard, brings out big questions about the Blugolds, even if some don't want to believe it.  

[BoBo]

In that Platteville game, Lee Vlasak, who had one career carry in 2009 prior to the
game today, sets a new UW-Platteville record with 5 rushing TDs.
He finishes the day with 33 carries for 114 yards.

He is just the sixth player in WIAC history with 5 rushing touchdowns in one game.

[BoBo]

With the Alabama loss today, Whitewater is the holder of the longest current win streak in the country, all divisions, at 20 games.

[BDB]

Congrats to the Warhawks...again. From what I heard on the radio and from speaking to one of the Stout coaches on their way home it sounds like it was quite an experience. The Devils needed a couple breaks to stay in it until the end, which they didn't create. Not getting any points on the first drive while having a first and goal from the 5 didn't help.

Not that it mattered in this game, but I wonder how much it will matter on these long road trips to not be able to stay over the night before. By the time the second half rolls around the players must be mentally and somewhat physically tired. Maybe that added to the EC loss today. I don't know how that game played out quarter by quarter, but it's a tough task to take on all that riding, and play your best I would think, all in one day.

Kind of weird science, but Stout is the only team without a loss in the conference except to WW. If Whitewater wins out in the conference, and the Devils do as well, maybe a playoff spot is available to the second place team which would be occupied by Stout. Hate to have to look at it that way but that's what we've got right now I guess.

[bleedpurple]

This game will be a good D3 collegiate contest.

Perfect prediction.  It was a good game.  Once again, I was impressed with Stout's physical play. I also thought Carey made some excellent throws. He really squeezed the ball through some tight windows.  Defensively, the Blue Devils played a nice first half, but seemed to get worn down in the second half.

I think UW-W played methodically.  I felt like the O-Line took over in the second half and the defense seemed to pressure Carey more in the second half.  The UW-W running game is obviously very hard to slow down for 4 quarters. The passing game seems to be operating at a high level.  

It still seems to me the greatest threat to UW-W would be a team with a passing game comparable to...well, UW-W. Stout converted 9 of 15 third downs, which is too high of a percentage.  8 of those 9 conversions were on passing plays.  

I come away from today really happy with the win because I think Stout is a really good football team. "They are what we thought they were."  In a good way of course...    

[retagent]

Treated to a good game today. Most competitive I've seen at The Perk in a while. Only the second SJU game, the Wittenberg game and the Linfield game might have been better. Stout played well, but just seemed to get dispirited. If  they had scored a TD on their first possession, it might have been an even better game.  Closer than the final score.

No programs today. Ran out of drinks  on the visitor's side before half. Finally got two of the last  three waters left at half. Other than that, great atmosphere. Good crowd, good halftime, and game break entertainment. Couldn't believe Schebler missed his FG attempt.

[Stagg Again!!]

On today's Triple Take:

Pat's take: No. 17 UW-Eau Claire at UW-Platteville. The Blugolds have had a tendency to drop a puzzling game over the past years (2007 and 2008 vs. UW-River Falls, for example). Teams know not to take anyone in the WIAC lightly, but perhaps Eau Claire might get caught with an eye ahead to next week's game against UW-Whitewater and take a little while to put the Pioneers away.

Looks like Pat called it!!

[bleedpurple]

Kind of weird science, but Stout is the only team without a loss in the conference except to WW. If Whitewater wins out in the conference, and the Devils do as well, maybe a playoff spot is available to the second place team which would be occupied by Stout. Hate to have to look at it that way but that's what we've got right now I guess.

Don't forget about UW-P!  

[bleedpurple]

On today's Triple Take:

Pat's take: No. 17 UW-Eau Claire at UW-Platteville. The Blugolds have had a tendency to drop a puzzling game over the past years (2007 and 2008 vs. UW-River Falls, for example). Teams know not to take anyone in the WIAC lightly, but perhaps Eau Claire might get caught with an eye ahead to next week's game against UW-Whitewater and take a little while to put the Pioneers away.

Looks like Pat called it!!

Pat? Pat? He did make a great observation, but he did put in the "Closer than expected" category. And he implied the Blugolds would put the Pioneers away.

On the other hand...

"UW-Eau Claire at UW-Platteville
The Blugolds have been struggling to run the ball the past two weeks and stopping the run is the strength of the Pioneer defense. The Pioneers defense is #2 in Red Zone Defense, while the Blugolds rank #7. Platteville has a dangerous passing attack and UW-EC is coming off three straight big games. UPSET SPECIAL.

UW-Platteville 23
UW-Eau Claire 17"

www.uwwfootball.blogspot.com  

[BoBo]

Who sang the anthem, bp? Heard a little of it over the air.